


Tradition

by Mikiri_Tohoshima



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Age Difference, Arranged Marriage, Banned Together Bingo, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, M/M, Traditions, Zuko is 18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25405816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikiri_Tohoshima/pseuds/Mikiri_Tohoshima
Summary: The only way for Zuko to regain some honor is to marry Zhao. It's tradition.
Relationships: Zhao/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 107
Collections: Banned Together Bingo 2020





	Tradition

Tradition. Peer pressure from dead people. These were the words that echoed into Zuko’s mind while he was looking at himself in the big mirror of the room where the regal tailors were called to help him dress with the traditional Fire Nation regalia for the “sacred union.” 

He was going to get married in two days. He only knew about it three days earlier. 

Yes, he remembered the visits of General Zhao, he remembered him and his father talking in secrecy, and he remembered how much his mother protested, years and years ago, but he never connected the dots, he never reached to the conclusion where he was supposed to get married to him. 

It was announced to him right the day of his 18th birthday. 

“Since you are not the heir to the throne, you will be useful to reward one of my best generals. Marrying the prince will bring him all the honors ans status he needs to become part of my inner circle.” 

Status, inner circle, all rewards that were going right into Zhao’s hands, while Zuko was was going to have? A husband. 

Sure, he was still going to be a prince, and he was still going to have his part, he wasn’t going to become some kind of housewife, but after the wedding he would have a new master. 

That thought made Zuko shiver in disgust, but... tradition... 

He looked at himself in the mirror again, this time he was sitting down and ha had two servants combing and styiling his hair, trying to find a way to cover up his scar, but every kind of powder or make up they tried to use was making Zuko wanted to wail in pain. 

Only a few tears rolled down his cheeks, and one of the servants sighed dreamy. 

“Oh, you are happy for the wedding, my prince?” 

Zuko forced himself to smile, it was no use to be rude to the person that had your hair in her hands, and lied. 

“Yes. That would be a great homor, and I am glad the husband chosen for me is such a prominent figure.” 

The servant smiled and kept working on his hair, until he was ready. 

THen she undid everything and let him with a normal hairstyle for the rest of the day. 

There was so much to do for the wedding, but Zuko wans’t going to be part of it. Servants were going to chose the decorations, the menu, the master of rituals were going to decide which kind of parantes were going to be used for the ceremony... and so on. 

Those two days passed slowly, everywhere Zuko0 went he could see somebody busy organizing something. 

So in the end he just stayed in his room, learning the words to say and the fire bending to make. A really important part of the ritual was to heat some wine in a bowl, and to drink it toghether as his husband from a special cup without dropping anything, so Zuko had to train even with that.   
The flavor of the wine disgusted him. 

Until the grand day arrived. 

Zuko was dressed up, his hair were combed, his scar was covered and he walked along the corridor, meeting his soon-to-be husband in the middle, so he could reach for the master of rituals together. 

Zhao was dressed with his general regalia, nothing too fancy in comparison with all the red and black clothing Zuko was wearing, so the taller man grabbed Zuko’s hand, smiling at him, but more than a smile, what was on his face looked like a evil grin. 

The grip on Zuko’s hand became strong and hurtful, and Zhao leaned towards Zuko’s hear. 

“I waited for so long to finally have a go with you, my prince... and finally we are going to be together forever...” 

Zuko gukped some saliva, feeling again tear itching to go out, but the young one concentrated all his powers to evaporate them. 

They sit in front of the master, they recited the words, they evocate the flame and they drank the boiling wine heated with their fire. Zhao holded the special cup for both of them and as tradition wanted, none a drop was wasted. And Zuko hated that flavour, with his empty stomach just made his head dizzy and gave him some nausea, so when they sit down in front of many many people, eating and cheering the newly weds for a long life, he could barely put food into his mouth, his eyes fixed into the red of the tablecloth, so Zhao helped him, laughing and saying that for sure having to feed him wouldn’t have been a problem if he was going to eat like this forever. 

During the ceremony and the party, Zuko noticed that his father was absent. Only Azula participated, but in the end she just got drunk along with her friends. 

The party went on all day, and all night, until finally Zuko and Zhao could retire in the special room for newly weds. 

Once the door closed, Zhao put his hands on top of Zuko’s shoulders, murmuring into his ear. 

“Come on now, my Prince... disrobe... we are going to spend the night together... as tradition.”


End file.
